UNC Lineberger News

The Susan G. Komen North Carolina Triangle to the Coast (NCTC) has awarded a $50,000 grant to UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Support Program to fund a project aimed at improving access to comprehensive lymphedema care for breast cancer patients in central North Carolina.

UNC Lineberger Board of Visitors member, Francine Netter Roberson, has written the first major biography of her father, the legendary medical illustrator, Frank Netter, MD. Medicine’s Michelangelo, The Life & Art of Frank Netter, MD (October, 2013, Quinnipiac University Press) is based on Frank Netter’s private papers and published works along with the remembrances of his family, friends and colleagues.

The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center will hold its 9th Annual Scientific Retreat on May 14 at the Carolina Club. The retreat will feature lectures from Edison Liu, president and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory, a State of the LCCC address from UNC Lineberger Director Norman Sharpless and lectures from eight UNC Lineberger members.

Clara Alston had a 37 year career as a newborn critical care nurse at N.C. Children’s Hospital. When Clara began working at UNC in 1975, newborn critical care units were just starting to pop up in hospitals. By the time she retired from her position as assistant nurse manager in the Newborn Critical Care Center (NCCC) in 2012, Clara was an expert in the field of newborn critical care. She often shared stories about the early days and the evolution of newborn critical care nursing.

Betty Ray McCain has given much of herself to UNC Lineberger. She has been a member of the UNC Lineberger Board of Visitors since 2005. Most recently, she served as chair of the Membership and Nominating Committee. Prior to that, she ably served as vice chair from 2007-2009 and chaired the board from 2009-2012.

UNC Lineberger will be well represented at the 2014 Pancreatic Cancer Purple Stride 5K. The event, organized by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, helps raise awareness and research funds for pancreatic cancer.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has named Ben Major, PhD, assistant professor with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center member, as a 2014 Research Scholar.

The UNC Lineberger Board of Visitors elected new leaders at its spring meeting in April. Richard Stevens of Cary, NC was elected to serve as chair, and Jean Kitchin of Scotland Neck, NC will serve as vice chair. Their terms will begin on July 1, 2014.

A partnership formed by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Duke Cancer Institute and the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University in St. Louis will become part of a national network working to accelerate the pace of cancer drug development.

Previously thought to only play a role in male fertility, the protein DAZAP1 has now been shown to be a major player in how genes are expressed; in cell culture experiments it stifled the progression of several types of cancer cells.

A News and Observer article on the role of Triangle organizations in guiding the efforts of federal regulators crafting regulations for e-cigarettes features the work of work of UNC Lineberger members Kurt Ribisl, PhD, and Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH.

Norman Sharpless, MD, Director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has been inducted as a member of the American Association of Physicians (AAP). His induction was announced at the joint American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI)/American Association of Physicians meeting in Chicago.

UNC Lineberger has been selected to participate in A Survivor Action Partnership – United States of America (ASAP USA), a consortium of institutions that will collaborate to develop and study interventions to improve the lives of prostate cancer survivors in the United States. Sixteen institutions were selected following a peer reviewed application process. Ronald Chen, MD, MPH, assistant professor of radiation oncology is leading the UNC Lineberger ASAP USA team.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign is a national fundraising competition in which participants vie for the title of Man or Woman of the Year. They raise funds for blood cancer research in honor of local children who are blood cancer survivors. The titles are awarded to the men and women who raise the most funds during the campaign in their communities. The top local fundraisers in the country also win the national titles.

Cell movement plays an important role in a host of biological functions from embryonic development to repairing wounded tissue. It also enables cancer cells to break free from their sites of origin and migrate throughout the body.

UNC Lineberger member Gary Johnson, PhD, professor and chair of the UNC Department of Pharmacology, has been tapped to join Synodos, a team of scientists working together to defeat the rare genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). A first-of-its-kind NF research collaboration, Synodos has brought together centers of excellence from institutions across the country. Johnson will be just one of 12 academic researchers in the collaboration.

The push and pull of physical force can cause profound changes in the behavior of a cell. Two studies from researchers working at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center reveal how cells respond to mechanical manipulation.

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has contributed to the development of the first national “research challenge” involving the newly launched Project Data Sphere, LLC (PDS), an independent not-for-profit initiative of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer’s Life Sciences Consortium (LSC).

Researchers at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center will investigate the role of proteins linked both to human sexual reproduction and cancer tumor formation thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

Members of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center will share their research and expertise at the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) on April 5 to 9 in San Diego, Calif. The event will host more than 18,000 researchers, patient advocates and other professionals in the cancer field to share the year’s foremost basic science, translational and clinical advances.

Physicians have long suspected that chemotherapy can accelerate the aging process in patients treated for cancer. Using a test developed at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center to determine molecular aging, UNC oncologists have directly measured the impact of anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs on biological aging.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will dedicate Marsico Hall (formerly called the IRB building or the BRIC building) at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 27. The event will also begin streaming live online once the ceremony has begun.

RNA encodes the proteins that play a key role in cellular reproduction, but the manner in which cells regulate its removal once these proteins are synthesized remains a mystery. One piece of this mystery has been solved as researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who have identified the steps by which a cell removes RNA from the cytoplasm.

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN) is pleased to announce it will hold its 8th Annual National Conference September 19-21, 2014 in conjunction with the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Andrew Olshan, PhD, professor and chair of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health’s Department of Epidemiology and UNC Lineberger associate director for population sciences, has been named the Barbara Sorenson Hulka Distinguished Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, effective March 1.

A non-invasive test that includes detection of the genetic abnormalities related to cancer could significantly improve the effectiveness of colon cancer screening, according to research published by a team of scientists including David Ransohoff, MD, professor of medicine at the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center member.

Cancer patients who receive care from local physicians partnering with the medical research community are as likely to receive innovative treatments compared to patients treated at medical school affiliated hospitals, according to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Across the country, thousands have taken part in the Colon Cancer Coalition’s initiative called “Get Your Rear In Gear,” a series of 5K races aimed at fighting colon cancer by raising funding to support education, prevention and screening programs. On March 1, supporters gathered in Raleigh, N.C. to kick off Colorectal Cancer Awareness month with their local Get Your Rear in Gear event.

Members of the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center played a major role in developing the recommendations in a President’s Cancer Panel (PCP) report urging a widespread public campaign to increase the rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

The work of UNC School of Medicine Professor and Lineberger member John Baron, MD, is featured in an article titled "Can aspiring fight cancer?" The article provides an overview of recent studies that suggest regular doses of aspirin can help prevent some types of cancer.

The oncogene RAS is linked to 30 percent of human cancers, but the search for a targeted therapy for RAS has remained elusive. Three leading RAS researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center are playing leading roles at a conference aimed at discussing recent advances that may lead to new advances in targeting the oncogene.

UNC Lineberger member Russell Harris, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine in the UNC School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology in the UNC Gillings Global School of Public Health, was quoted in two articles in the New York Times about a major study of the efficacy of breast cancer screening published by BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal).

A comprehensive genetic analysis of invasive bladder cancer tumors has found that the disease shares genetic similarities with two forms of breast cancer, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Cancer Center. Bladder cancer, which is the fourth most common malignancy in men and ninth most common in women in the United States, claimed more than 15,000 patients last year.

“This is an important finding because of the field’s increased interest in ‘metabolic reprogramming’ of immune cells. Understanding how macrophage substrate metabolism impacts inflammation is crucial to our being able to develop novel therapies for obesity and diabetes, and even cancer," said study author Liza Makowski, PhD, assistant professor of nutrition at the Gillings School and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

A team led by Cyrus Vaziri, PhD, and William Janzen at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health for research that could help make chemotherapy drugs more effective.

The response of a patient with metastatic brain tumors to treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery in the first six-to-twelve weeks can indicate whether follow-up treatments and monitoring are necessary, according to research conducted at the University of North Carolina.

The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center announces The Marci Kramish Campbell Dissertation Award, a competitive $5,000 award to recognize excellence in dissertation research focused on cancer and the population sciences. This cash award goes directly to the recipient and can be used for any purpose.

The journal highlights research performed by UNC Lineberger member Angela Smith, MD, that links a loss of muscle mass, known as sarcopenia, in women to complications from a cystectomy. Women who experienced sarcopenia were found to have a 43 percent chance of major complications compared to 10 percent for women who did not experience muscle loss.

While ultrasound provides a less expensive and radiation-free alternative to detecting and monitoring cancer compared to technologies such as X-rays, CT scans and MRIs, the lower clarity and resolution of ultrasound has limited its use in cancer treatment. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have overcome this limitation by combining ultrasound with a contrast agent comprised of micro-sized bubbles that pair with an antibody produced at elevated levels by many cancers.

Qi Zhang sees himself as a warrior. In his lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he wages war on genetic diseases such as cancer and heart disease on a battlefield measured with single atoms.

The cost of insurance co-payments for cutting-edge pharmaceuticals can vary widely from patient to patient. When the patient’s share of prescription costs becomes too high, many patients skip doses or stop taking medication entirely, according to research conducted at the University of North Carolina.

Screening to detect medical conditions has become standard practice for many diseases, but insufficient attention has been paid to the potential for harm, according to research by a team led by Russell Harris, MD, MPH, of the UNC School of Medicine, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center member.

We are deeply grateful to the thousands of donors who help make UNC Lineberger’s cancer fight possible by supporting innovative and lifesaving cancer research and care. Here are important year-end gift deadlines and reminders to receive tax benefits for calendar 2014.

Director of the Cancer Outcomes Research Program at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and colleagues at the FDA guide drug developers on how to include meaningful pain endpoints when designing cancer trials.

Bruce Ham, one of the original members of the Single Fathers Due to Cancer support group, has written a memoir, “Laughter, Tears and Braids,” about his journey raising three daughters after the death of his wife from cancer.

A new study led by Christine Rini, PhD, finds that survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplant, an aggressive treatment for blood cancers, benefited from a two-part peer support process the authors call expressive helping.

James P. Evans, MD, PhD, Bryson Distinguished Professor of Genetics and Medicine, was quoted on National Public Radio's All Things Considered regarding the Food and Drug Administration's warning letter sent to the company 23andMe demanding that its saliva test be taken off the market.

A study of 2,519 Kenyan men conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina revealed that infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) was associated with a higher subsequent risk of infection with HIV, a precursor to AIDS.

William Zamboni, PharmD, PhD, has developed a probe to measure the body’s immune function to help physicians deliver accurate, individualized doses for cancer patients prescribed nanoparticle-based drugs

The inaugural geriatric oncology symposium, geared toward a lay audience, provided a lively afternoon of presentations, questions and answers, and concluded with a reception on Friday, November 15, 2013.

Women who are obese face an increased risk of developing an aggressive sub-type of breast cancer known as ‘basal-like’, according to research conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

When celebrities battle cancer, their stories make headlines around the world. Whether announcing their prognosis, seeking treatment or losing their battle, celebrities faced with cancer have a profound impact on the public – one that leads to increased interest in cancer information and screening, according to research by the University of North Carolina.

WCHL named Lisa Edwards a Hometown Hero for November 6, 2013. Each weekday the station selects a Hometown Hero who goes “over and above the call of duty,” exemplifying excellent service and dedication to others in the community.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation continues its longstanding support of research at UNC Lineberger with $960,000 in awards to four researchers working to discover the causes and find better treatments for breast cancer.

In the editorial, "Misperceptions on electronic health records" published in the News & Observer, Lawrence Marks, MD, Chair of Department of Radiation Oncology and UNC Lineberger member explains on the benefits and drawbacks of electronic health records.

In the article, "Do you want to know what will kill you?" at Salon.com, Jim Evans MD, PhD, Director of Clinical Cancer Genetics and UNC Lineberger member discusses the pros and cons of consumer-marketed genetic testing.

A new microbeam emitter developed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by a team led by UNC Lineberger member Otto Zhou has the potential to bring a promising new form of radiation therapy into clinical use.

Join UNC Health Care at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, Nov. 1, for a discussion of how fathers cope with the loss of their wife or partner, meet the demands of sole parenthood, and manage their children's grief.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus is buzzing with anticipation as the beginning of basketball season approaches this Friday, October 25. And the Tar Heels are kicking it off with support for UNC Lineberger.

Peer support interventions have traditionally and successfully been used to address health promotion and prevention, such as increasing cancer screening. UNC researchers have published the first study to examine whether enhancing the skills of community-based peer support can help people living with persistent and serious illness.

UNC Lineberger kicked off its Blue Ribbon Gala on September 27, 2013, gathering more than 450 people to celebrate advancements in cancer care at UNC. The black-tie event raised more than $225,000 for UNC Lineberger.

The UNC School of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology held its first annual retreat on September 6, 2013 at the Rizzo Center in Chapel Hill to discuss the academic mission and future goals of the division.

Radiation oncology physicians who encounter an unfamiliar case when cross covering for another physician experience higher levels of perceived workload and may perhaps also effects on performance, according to research conducted at the University of North Carolina.

Abiraterone acetate, a recently FDA-approved drug used to treat men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, significantly delays progression of pain and quality of life deterioration when taken in conjunction with prednisone.

The national Pink Heals Tour visited UNC on Friday, September 20 with a fleet of pink fire trucks, a bus and emergency vehicles. Chapel Hill Fire Department, the host for the visit, brought their Carolina Blue fire truck.

An 82-year-old resident of Aurora, N.C., is referred to UNC Hospitals for treatment of a nasal cavity cancer in the post of tissue between his nostrils. A multidisciplinary treatment decision, the support of his family and a stay at SECU Family House see him through.

Although cigarette use has declined among Americans, regulators face the challenge of communicating the dangers of new tobacco products along with reaching smokers in diverse communities who may not respond to traditional forms of anti-tobacco communication. To address these issues, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today that they are awarding a $19.4 million, five-year grant to fund a center at the University of North Carolina that will study issues related to tobacco prevention communication and regulation.

The Honorable Pat McCrory Governor of the State of North Carolina, and First Lady Ann McCrory visited the North Carolina Children’s Hospital on September 13 to proclaim that day as Childhood Cancer Awareness Day in North Carolina.

E. Claire Dees, MD, associate professor of medicine, and Peter Voorhees, MD, associate professor of medicine, have been appointed to leadership positions in UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Dees will serve as medical director of the Clinical Protocol Office and Dr. Voorhees will serve as chair of the Protocol Review Committee.

Racial disparities in the treatment and outcome of breast cancer patients arise from a combination of biological, social and financial causes. Understanding how these complex factors influence interactions between patients and the medical community is key to reducing the gaps in treatment and mortality between racial groups, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina.

As the clinical use of genomic testing expands, the practical and ethical considerations of using the technology to screen newborns for genetic conditions will be the focus of a new study undertaken at the University of North Carolina.

As a clinical nurse IV in the outpatient clinics of N.C. Cancer Hospital, Collier plays many roles from nurse manager to caring for patients. He's used to playing different roles though as he's been into drama and theater about as long as he's been in nursing

Encouraging physicians to recommend human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to adolescent boys and their parents - and educating the boys and their families about the importance of receiving the vaccine - are essential to reducing the cancers this virus can cause.

David Ollila, MD, professor of surgery, has been appointed to the James H. and Jesse E. Millis Distinguished Professorship. The $1.5 million professorship was established by their son, William (Bill) Millis in honor of his parents, Jim and Jesse Millis of High Point, N.C.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center awarded more than $460,000 in grants to support research and infrastructure needs of members of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researching cancer and cell biology.

An article in the New York Times Magazine profiled work by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Kenan Distinguished Professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, in partnership with Steven Cole, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences in the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, into the genomic effects of happiness.

William Roper, MD, MPH, Dean of the School of Medicine, Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs, and CEO of University of North Carolina Health Care System, announces the appointment of Norman "Ned" Sharpless, MD, as director of the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, effective January 1, 2014.

A team of researchers has published their analysis of survival rates among study participants in the 2003 Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial showing that the prostate drug finasteride does not decrease survival after a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Their 2003 publication found that while the drug finasteride significantly reduced the risk of prostate cancer, it was associated with an increased risk of high-grade disease and possibly decreased survival.

Like a toddler in need of a nap or a snack, the cells of our bodies can turn a bit sour under conditions of stress or nutrient deprivation. The pH levels inside these cells – starved, perhaps by a heart attack or other injury – have been known to drop dramatically in a cry for help.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina and the National Institutes for Health have defined the role of the protein vinculin in enabling cell movement.
In a paper published in the Journal of Cell Biology, Sharon Campbell, PhD, professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics and member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Clare Waterman of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health showed that cell mobility occurs through the interactions between the protein vinculin and the cytoskeletal lattice formed by the protein actin. By physically binding to the actin that makes up the cytoskeleton, vinculin operates as a form of molecular clutch transferring force and controlling cell motion.

A rapidly-dissolvable microneedle patch developed by a UNC team led by Joseph DeSimone, William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and director of the UNC Institute for Advanced Materials, Nanoscience, and Technology and member of UNC Lineberger, allows for painless injections of medicine and vaccines.

Human bodies recognize at the molecular level that not all happiness is created equal, responding in ways that can help or hinder physical health, according to new research led by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Kenan Distinguished Professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Since 2011, the University of North Carolina has partnered with the government of Malawi to establish a pathology laboratory in the nation’s capital, building on an existing decades-long collaboration. The laboratory has provided an invaluable service to patients and has also built capacity at a national teaching hospital, according to an analysis of the first 20 months of operation published August 7 online by PLOS ONE.

The tyrosine kinase MerTK plays a prominent role in the body’s immune response. MerTK signaling helps “calm” the body’s first line of immunity, the macrophage, while it performs the routine duties - clearing cells that die and healing damaged tissue.

Research that developed a method of visualizing aging and tumor growth in mice by Norman Sharpless, MD, Wellcome Distinguished Professor of Cancer Research and Deputy Cancer Center Director, was featured in an article on biological markers of aging in the New York Times.

The National Institute of Health has awarded University of North Carolina researcher Lishan Su, PhD, with a $2 million four-year R01 grant to investigate using a novel immune therapy to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

A 65-year-old Person County man is successfully treated for a rare head and neck cancer, but the treatment side effects damaged his teeth and gums. He may have lost his pearly whites, but not his spirit or his faith.

Shellie Ellis, MA, and Shelley Golden, PhD, of the Gillings School of Global Public Health are the 2013 recipients of the Marci Kramish Campbell Dissertation Award, a competitive $5,000 award to recognize excellence in dissertation research focused on cancer and the population sciences.

Knowing what type of lung cancer a patient has is critical to determine which drug will work best and which therapies are safest in the era of personalized medicine. Key to making that judgment is an adequate tumor specimen for the pathologist to determine the tumor’s histology, a molecular description of a tumor based on the appearance of cells under a microscope. But not all specimens are perfect, and are sometimes so complex that a definitive diagnosis presents a challenge.

Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, assistant professor of health policy and management at Gillings School of Global Public Health, will receive $727,000 over five years through an American Cancer Society Mentored Research Scholar Grant.

National quality assessment programs usually measure and reward practices based on improving clinical processes such as re-hospitalization or infection rates. While this type of information is important and useful to clinicians, it doesn’t always take into account what is most important to the patient and families of the patient receiving care, such as the management of long-term symptoms or ability to conduct daily activities.

For decades, women between the ages of 21 and 69 were advised to get annual screening exams for cervical cancer. In 2009, however, accumulating scientific evidence led major guideline groups to agree on a new recommendation that women be screened less frequently: every three years rather than annually.

UNC has lost a dear colleague. Dr. Keith Amos died suddenly in Edinburgh, Scotland, while on a Dr. Claude Organ, Jr., Travel Award from the American College of Surgeons. We all hold in our thoughts his wife, Ahaji, and their three young daughters.

Albert Baldwin, PhD, William Rand Kenan Professor of Biology and associate director of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, has received a one-year continuation grant from the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation.

For patients facing treatment for cancer, it is essential to understand how their symptoms will be affected. Symptoms like pain, fatigue, or nausea can result from the cancer, or from treatment side effects. The best way to collect this information is from patients themselves in research studies. But almost no drug labels in the U.S. include this information. As a result, incomplete information is available to patients and clinicians to help with treatment decisions.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and MIT have combined two novel technologies to create specialized versions of tiny, coated nanoparticles. Through the use of a special coating technique, the researchers were further able to customize highly reproducible nanoparticles made using the PRINT platform created at UNC, which enables scientists to manufacture particles in a near-infinite array of shapes, sizes and material compositions. The combination of these unique technologies may result in developing more effective medicines, efficient electronics and technological advances in many other fields.

It’s a GEMM of a system. Genetically engineered mouse models that is. Using them allows scientists to study cancer in a way that more naturally mimics how human tumors exist within the complex environment of the body.

Humans and their pet dogs are close, so close that they both develop a type of cancer called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In humans it’s the most common lymphoma subtype while in dogs, it’s one of the most common cancers in veterinary oncology.

Kathy DeClue of Randolph County was featured in Family House Diaries in August 2012. She celebrated the success of a second stem cell transplant for leukemia by renewing her wedding vows with her husband of 41 years before 80 friends and family.

This summer, ten boy scouts from Chapel Hill are biking across the country to raise money for UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. For every $15,000 raised, UNC Lineberger has agreed to send one of their pediatric oncology patients to spend a week at Victory Junction, a camp for chronically ill children.

Clinical geneticist Jim Evans, MD, PhD helped to open the exhibition, Genome: Unlocking Life's Code. The high-tech, high-intensity display celebrates the 10th anniversary of production of the first complete human genome sequence also known as the genetic blueprint of the human body.

The late Robert Craft Millikan will be honored with a 2013 Alumni Achievement Award from the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine during the School's commencement ceremony on June 14.

Four UNC School of Nursing students have been awarded American Cancer Society Graduate Scholarships in Cancer Nursing Practice. The recipients are Sean Gallagher, RN; April Lenker, RN; Melissa Matson, RN; and Lori Walker, RN.

Ten area teens will pedal with purpose this summer, riding some 3,700 miles over a 10-week period, from Maryland to Oregon. The group, dubbed “Lucky 13,” a play on the year “2013,” aims to raise $30,000 for UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, with a portion on the money going directly to serve pediatric cancer patients.

More than 15 members and associates of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center presented their work to the attendees at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.

While aspirin has been shown to be effective in preventing heart attacks in men, it also increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and possibly stroke, even at low doses. As such, national guidelines suggest that aspirin be used for prevention only in men at higher risk for cardiovascular events, so that the benefits of aspirin are greater than its adverse effects.

The study will focus on assessing the impact of a clinic-based intervention that includes having patients view a multimedia decision aid (in English or Spanish) before seeing their physician, as well as support from a bilingual patient “navigator” on completion of recommended colon cancer screening tests.

Dr. Carey Anders, MD, assistant professor of medicine, was interviewed in a new video on fertility preservation for female cancer patients produced by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The video, titled “Discussing Fertility Preservation with Women,” was released in conjunction with ASCO updated guidelines and was shown at the 2013 ASCO annual meeting.

Cancer patients, physicians and insurers want to be sure that whatever therapy is recommended and provided to patients is based on evidence, preferably results from randomized clinical trials. But are there enough clinical trials data to provide this level of confidence?

While the mutated KRAS oncogene is associated with many cancers, it has not yet been successfully targeted by a therapeutic agent. Scientists are trying to find another way to target the gene by blocking signals from another protein downstream.

Cervical cancer kills an estimated 275,000 women each year, and most of these deaths could be prevented with prophylactic HPV vaccination, routine cervical cancer screening and continuity to treatment. At the Women Deliver Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, delegates and experts from around the world announced a global call to action to combat this preventable disease through collaboration with and information sharing by the world’s governments and health agencies on May 27, 2013.

The protein GATA-3 plays an important role in mammalian immune response, but its overall function in cell development and cancer formation is not well understood. In an effort to further define the importance of GATA-3, researchers at the University of North Carolina have traced how the protein performs important functions in CD8+T-cell type of the immune system.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy has become the most commonly used type of radiation in prostate cancer, but research from the University of North Carolina suggests that the therapy may not be more effective than older, less expensive forms of radiation therapy in patients who have had a prostatectomy.

Charles Perou, PhD, the May Goldman Shaw Distinguished Professor of Molecular Oncology, has been honored with the 2013 Hyman L. Battle Distinguished Cancer Research Award in recognition of his accomplishments in cancer research. Dr. Perou is a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers uncover surprising insights about how nerve cells rewire themselves, shedding light on a process linked with neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders like schizophrenia and autism.

Barbara K. Rimer, DrPH, Dean and Alumni Distinguished Professor of the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, has been awarded the American Cancer Society (ACS) Medal of Honor for her "seminal cancer research efforts."

Claire Dees, MD, and Neil Hayes, MD, MPH, have been appointed as co-leaders of the Clinical Research Program at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Dees and Hayes have extensive and complementary expertise in translational and clinical research. As co-leaders of the Clinical Research Program, they will help plan the efforts of UNC Lineberger’s physician researchers to move discoveries into innovative trials of new therapeutic approaches.

Jennifer Smith, PhD, MPH, research associate professor at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, says that lack of awareness and stigma about the illness hinders prevention of the disease.

Patients must take a larger role in participating in and assisting in determining priorities for medical research, according to an editorial published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In Kenya, women face a cervical cancer mortality rate that is approximately 10 times as high as in the United States. A study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests that training women to self-collect genital samples to test for human papillomavirus (HPV), the causative agent of cervical cancer, can increase the coverage rates of cervical cancer screening. Higher screening coverage helps increase rates of detection of cervical lesions and ultimately treatment of the disease.

Breast cancer brain metastases present a challenge to clinicians because there are few systemic therapies capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier to control the disease. An international team, led by scientists at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, reports pre-clinical research showing improved efficacy of a PEGylated liposomal (encapsulated) anti-cancer agent compared with a non-liposomal formulation of the same drug in an intracranial model of breast cancer. Their results were published in the May 1, 2013 issue of PLOS ONE.

Associate professor Deborah Mayer, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN and member of UNC Lineberger has been selected as an Extraordinary Nurse Leader by Yale University, the first independent university-based nursing school established in the United States. As part of its 90th anniversary celebration, Yale School of Nursing has selected 90 alumni who “embody the School’s mission of advancing better health care” to be honored at a ceremony in October 2013.

Kurt Ribisl, PhD, head of Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, was interviewed by National Public Radio on New York City's proposal to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes to 21.

A monoclonal antibody targeting a protein known as SFPR2 has been shown by researchers at the University of North Carolina to inhibit tumor growth in pre-clinical models of breast cancer and angiosarcoma.

Dr. Harold E. Varmus, director of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health and co-winner of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes, was invited to campus by UNC’s Nobel Laureate Dr. Oliver Smithies.

A team from the UNC Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program headed up by Tippu Khan, PharmD, BCOP and Nicole Frazier, RN, BSN participated in an epic journey which included leaping over fire, trekking through waste-high mud, tossing spears, dodging attacks and most of all braving near freezing temperatures in the driving rain. What is all this about? It's the Spartan Race, an event of pure primitive craziness that promises it's participants an experience they'll never forget.

Kerry Steven Bloom, Thad L. Beyle Distinguished Professor of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies and a leading center for independent policy research.

James P. Evans, MD, PhD, Bryson Distinguished Professor of Genetics and Medicine, is quoted about a case before the U.S. Supreme Court involving Myriad Genetics attempts to patent two human genes related to breast and ovarian cancer.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have "rationally rewired" some of the cell's smallest components to create proteins that can be switched on or off by command. These "protein switches" can be used to interrogate the inner workings of each cell, helping scientists uncover the molecular mechanisms of human health and disease.

A team led by Dr. Stanley Lemon discovered that hepatitis A virus does not have an envelope when found in the environment, but acquires one from the cells that it grows in within the liver. It circulates in the blood completely cloaked in these membranes.

Lisa A. Carey, MD, Medical Director of the UNC Breast Center, the Chief of Hematology/Oncology, the Physician-in-Chief of the N.C. Cancer Hospital, and UNC Lineberger member, discusses the use of everolimus in the metastatic and adjuvant settings of breast cancer.

Neil Hayes, MD, MPH, associate professor in UNC's Division of Hematology and Oncology, presented on the patterns of genomic alterations in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) at the AACR's 2013 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Satish Gopal, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the divisions of hematology/oncology and infectious diseases at the UNC School of Medicine, describes his experiences in assisting Kamuzu Central Hospital in the creation of a lab to diagnose and research cancer in Malawi.

The accomplishment provides a much-needed resource for scientists eager to uncover the true mechanisms of human stem cell biology. It also enables them to explore new tactics to treat inflammatory bowel disease or to ameliorate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, which often damage the gut.

Cancer patients at UNC and Duke have one less thing to worry about, thanks to the recently launched Cancer Pro Bono Legal Project. This cutting-edge collaboration among the law schools and cancer centers at the two universities and the North Carolina Bar Association offers free legal services to local cancer patients. The project has won funding from the Kenan Biddle Foundation as well as the North Carolina Bar Foundation.

Hyman B. Muss, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director of Geriatric Oncology, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, discusses the need for a team environment when treating an older patient at OncLive.

African American men on average wait a week longer than their Caucasian counterparts between the initial diagnosis of prostate cancer and treatment, according to University of North Carolina researchers.

Men who have dependent children and whose spouses or partners died from cancer are an overlooked population. These fathers face unique challenges not addressed by traditional grief support groups that often attract an older, female population.

Research conducted in fruit flies at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine has pinpointed a specific DNA sequence that both triggers the formation of the “histone locus body” and turns on all the histone genes in the entire block.

Craven County resident, Cindy Sills, has alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancerous tumor of the muscles that are attached to bones. She and her husband work to raise awareness of rare rare soft-tissue cancer.

Barbara Fredrickson, professor of psychology and UNC Lineberger member, writes in an editorial in the New York Times that the physical and psychological tools that allow us to relate to others can diminish with lack of use.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered that a protein found in the cells surrounding pancreatic cancers play a role in the spread of the disease to other parts of the body.

Michael Pignone, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine and Division Chief of General Medicine and Epidemiology, has been named director of the UNC Institute for Health Care Quality Improvement, which aims to establish UNC as the leading academic medical center in the area of clinical quality improvement. The new institute is a product of the UNC School of Medicine’s Strategic Plan.

Two members of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have been elected as 2013 Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM), the honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

A study by Karyn Stitzenberg, MD, MPH, assistant professor of surgery and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, shows that surgical oncologists comprise only a small portion of the number of surgeons who perform cancer surgery.

The School ranked 1st in Primary Care and 22nd in Research overall in the 2014 U.S. News & World Report Best Medical School Rankings. Family Medicine, Rural Medicine and AIDS were also listed as top ten specialties.

To meet a growing need for nurses with advanced training, the University of North Carolina and five other UNC-system schools will offer a doctorate in nursing this fall. The News and Observer article discusses the need and role that will be filled by the new Doctors of Nursing Practice.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered how helper molecules, or chaperones, aid in the RNA folding process, resolving a fundamental conundrum about how these important biological molecules work.

In an article published as the cover story of the March 2013 issue of Nature Chemical Biology, Lindsey James, PhD, research assistant professor in the lab of Stephen Frye, Fred Eshelman Distinguished Professor in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, announced the discovery of a chemical probe that can be used to investigate the L3MBTL3 methyl-lysine reader domain. The probe, named UNC1215, will provide researchers with a powerful tool to investigate the function of malignant brain tumor (MBT) domain proteins in biology and disease.

Experts from the UNC School of Medicine and the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health propose that screening healthy adults for preventable diseases such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and several catastrophic blood vessel disorders, among others, could potentially prevent these diseases.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the seventh most common form of cancer in the United States, but other than an association with the human papillomavirus, no validated molecular profile of the disease has been established. By analyzing data from DNA microarrays, a UNC-led team has completed a study that confirms the presence of four molecular classes of the disease and extends previous results by suggesting that there may be an underlying connection between the molecular classes and observed genomic events, some of which affect known cancer genes. The clinical relevance of the classes and certain genomic events was demonstrated, thus paving the way for further studies and possible targeted therapies.

More than 70 kidney cancer patients and their families participated in the Kidney Cancer Association’s patient and survivor conference held at the Friday Continuing Education Center in Chapel Hill on February 23.

Triple-negative breast cancers are more biologically diverse than previously believed and classification should be expanded to reflect this heterogeneity, according to University of North Carolina researchers.

Inflammatory response plays a major role in both health protection and disease generation. While the symptoms of disease-related inflammatory response have been know, scientists have not understood the mechanisms that underlie it.

Michael Pignone will join fellow experts in evidence-based medicine from many health-related fields to rigorously review existing peer-reviewed evidence and evaluating the benefits and harms of preventive services.

A set of towlettes developed by two researchers at Carolina can safely remove difficult-to-clean anticancer drugs commonly found on surfaces in hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and labs. The product, called Hazardous Drug Clean – or HDClean – addresses the growing concern regarding the safety of health care workers who frequently handle these potentially dangerous drugs.

North Carolina’s community colleges are important settings for educating and training our citizens. Can they also play a role in preventing cancer? A group of UNC researchers recently looked into the question of whether community colleges could spread the latest evidence-based cancer and wellness information to the thousands of employees and students of the state’s community college system.

Leah Ranney, PhD, associate director of the UNC Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program, and Adam Goldstein, MD, professor in UNC Family Medicine and director of the Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program, published the following editorial on the social benefits of anti-smoking policies and tobacco-use prevention programs:

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) hide within the worldwide human population. While dormant in the vast majority of those infected, these active herpesviruses can develop into several forms of cancer. In an effort to understand and eventually develop treatments for these viruses, researchers at the University of North Carolina have identified a family of human genes known as Tousled-like kinases (TLKs) that play a key role in the suppression and activation of these viruses.

Ethan Basch, MD, MSc, Director of Cancer Outcomes Research at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been appointed by the Director of the National Cancer Institute to serve on the Board of Scientific Advisors (BSA).

What’s most important to a man as he decides whether or not to undergo prostate-specific antigen- PSA- screening for prostate cancer? What does he value most about the screening? And what’s the best way to present the information to help him make an appropriate decision for himself?

In a study published in the January 18 issue of Cell, researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new method to visualize aging and tumor growth in mice using a gene closely linked to these processes.

More than 150 physicians and patients gathered February 6th and 7th to learn more about melanoma. Melanoma Patient Day, February 6, was a half-day symposium sponsored by the Melanoma Research Foundation, the UNC Division of Surgical Oncology and the UNC Department of Dermatology. Meeting co-chairs were Drs. David Ollila, professor of surgery, and Nancy Thomas, Robert Alan and Irene Briggaman Distinguished Professor of Dermatology.

Worldwide, many strains of the bacterium Staphyloccocus aureus are already resistant to all antibiotics except vancomycin. But as bacteria are becoming resistant to this once powerful antidote, S. aureus has moved one step closer to becoming an unstoppable killer. Now, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have not only identified the mechanism by which vancomycin resistance spreads from one bacterium to the next, but also have suggested ways to potentially stop the transfer.

A new study from the University of North Carolina published January 25, 2013 in the journal Genome Medicine reveals the huge diversity of U.S. biobanks and also raises questions about the best way to manage and govern them